If you’ve started looking into northern lights tours in Rovaniemi, there’s one thing you’ve probably already realised: there are a lot of options. There’s a bit of everything from massive bus tours to private experiences and everything in between. It can feel impossible to know which one is actually worth your money.

The truth is: not all northern lights tours are created equal. Some will drive around chasing clear skies all night long, others will head to a fixed location regardless of the weather forecast. Some include professional photos, others just offer marshmallows over a fire. Some will drive hundreds of kilometres to give you the best possible chance, other guides will give up 20km before clear skies because they have a strict kilometre limit and they don’t want to make their boss mad.

So how do you choose the right one?

Here’s a breakdown of what actually matters when picking a northern lights tour in Rovaniemi.

Prioritise chasing clear skies

The golden rule of northern lights hunting is “if you can’t see stars, you can’t see aurora.”

There are tours in Rovaniemi that will go out even when there is no hope. Every weather model and every webcam across the Arctic could show a solid wall of cloud without much chance of changing and they’ll still operate as normal. They’ll take you to their private location where it’s cloudy, tell you “maybe we’ll get lucky” and then hand you a BBQ sausage, no refunds. Don’t book those tours if the weather looks difficult.

A lot of companies advertise that they go to “3 different locations”. On cloudy nights, this is just a cheeky way of saying they’ll pretend to chase clear skies by going to three different spots near each other. Aurora happens 80-250km above the ground. You can drive 100km away from someone, take a photo of the aurora at the exact same time and have an almost identical looking picture. Why would you need to go to “3 different locations” when you’re going to have the same northern lights show in each of those locations.

The tours you should be looking at when the weather is more difficult are ones that highlight the fact that they chase clear skies. They don’t have specific spots that they’re going to night after night, they go where the weather models are telling them to go. A lot of these tours will also have some kind of guarantee if you don’t see aurora though it can come with an extra fee.

Avoid strict time or distance limits

To get under clear skies and see the northern lights, it often takes quite a big drive. A lot of tours advertise very short time or distance limits eg 3 hours, which is not ideal if it’s cloudy in Rovaniemi or if the solar wind indicators aren’t looking good. With a 3 hour time limit, you’re only able to get about an hour out of town at most, which gives you an hour to watch aurora (if you’re lucky) and then another hour to drive back.

It’s quite often the case that you’ll need to drive into Swedish Lapland to get clear skies, this can be a 2-3 hour drive one way. You’re not going to get there on a 3 hour tour.

Group size

I don’t think it’s controversial to say that a bus tour with 50 other people is probably not the best way to experience one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders.

Large group tours often go to one predetermined location and stay put. There’s no flexibility and you’ll probably be sharing your aurora moment with dozens of iPhones glowing in your face. That’s if you haven’t ended up under clouds.

Small group tours which usually have 8 people or less are the way to go. They have the flexibility to park in a lot more places and have the freedom to go wherever the weather models are telling them to go. WIth only 8 people or less, you’re also likely to get a much calmer experience, and a guide who doesn’t have the added stress of dealing with 50 people.

Check for professional photography

You’re coming all the way to Finnish Lapland. This might be your one shot at seeing the northern lights, don’t leave with a grainy iPhone photo of yourself under mother natures greatest show.

A lot of the best northern lights tours are guided by professional photographers who clearly have a passion for the northern lights. When deciding on a northern lights tour, this is one of the best filters because good photography is something you can carry with you for the rest of your life.

Make sure to assess the quality of the photography before you decide on a provider who offers professional photography, check their Instagram or portfolio on their websites to make a judgement call on whether they actually take good photos. A lot companies will advertise that they take professional photos but in practice they’re giving an expensive camera to an unexperienced employee on minimum wage who doesn’t know how to frame a photo or what shutter speed is.

Choose a Guide or Company Who Actually Cares

This might sound obvious, but it makes a big difference.

There are guides who do this because it’s their passion, they genuinely love chasing auroras and sharing that experience with others. Then there are companies who are just filling a van because there’s a lot of tourists (cash) to be taken in Rovaniemi. You’ll feel and see the difference when checking out different options.

The good ones will tweak the plan based on updated weather. They’ll explain what you’re seeing in the sky. They’ll help you with your camera. They’ll be just as excited as you are when the sky explodes into green. And they’ll do it all with a smile, even if it means getting home at 4am.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

🚩 Tours that run every night regardless of the weather
🚩 Fixed location tours that don’t chase clear skies
🚩 Tours that advertise that they go to “3 different places”
🚩 No flexibility in time or distance
🚩 Overly large groups

Final Thoughts

Picking the right northern lights tour can be the difference between a mind bending bucket list experience or an expensive bonfire.

If you're willing to spend a bit more for a tour with a provider who offers flexibility and prioritises seeing the aurora above all else, your chances of seeing those magical northern lights go way up.

If you want a tour where the only aim is to get where we need to go to see the northern lights while taking some pretty damn decent photos, book a tour with us at Rather Chilly!

How to Pick the Best Northern Lights Tour in Rovaniemi